Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-17
TnEcOMMtnCE COMMISSION.
More AbOutfhe Fourth SectI0n-Ya'
riOus Hearings Given.
Try telerrnnh 10 the Dispatch.1

WASHINGTON. April lG.-Mr. Holmes Cum
mrgs and several others, representing the
louisville. New Orleans and Texas railroad.
az a tho Newport News and Mississippi Rail-
read Company. were granted a hearing by the
Interstate Commission to-day In relation TO
the suspension Of tho fourth section OF the act.
hey we're confronted with aiildayits from mer-
chants Of Port Gibson, Miss. charging that
since The interstate act had gone into opera
ton the Louisville, New Orleans and Texas
reed had made rates which Disseminated
against that city and Ia favor Of Ncks0urg
Mr.. Cummings said the road would plead
guilty TO the charge; that il had interpreted
the law 10 permit such rates, and IL that inter-
probation was not correct the company wanted
10 know Il. He said that the rates complained
Ct we're much lower than ever prevailed al
Port GitsOn before. One OF the firms In their
complaint 10 the commission wrote that, la All
ticlpation Of the lower rates under the inter-
State Law, they had withheld large quantities OF
cotton from market for the purpose Of getting
tie benefit Of the lower rates anticipated.
NessTs. D. :. Wegg. Howard Morris, and VIII
liam :. MolleD. representing the Wisconsin
Central lines, were heard in advocacy OF sus-
pension OF the fourth section OF the law as %
their rvads.
Tie commission modified to-day the order
heretofore granted on application OF the Mo-
bile and Ohio railroad SO "A to conform with
the order made on application Of the Southern
Railway and Steamship Association. limiting
its operations 20 points south OF the Ohio river
and 10 business 10 anu from bucn points,
from and TO points north OF tho Ohio river.
similar order was also granted upon petitions
Of other railroads south OF the Ohio aud east
Of the Mississippi TO the Wisconsin and Illinois
Central; IT. Louis and Cairo short line; Tenne5-
see and Ohio: Norfolk and Western; Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac; New
York. Philadelphia and Norfolk; Cape Fear
and Isdkin Valley; Louisville, New Orleans
and Texas. and Newport News and Mississippi
Valley railroads. No other cases were acted
upon.
western firm Of lawyers, OF whom tho inter.
State commerce commissioners have never
before heard, have Gssed permission 70 make
use OF the commissioners names as refer
ences.n
Pennsylvania man asks 70 be informed II
that State can tax him for representing this
New England Manufacturing Company "by
sample only.r He complains that the State Is
trying 20 work O so-called mercantile tax on
any one who has an Offico for headquarters 10
receive letters and samples and write letters.
Californian complains that he can't sent
refrigeratOrs TO Los Angeles under the present
condition Of things, and asks relief.
These are samples OF hundreds OF letters
uIon irrelevant matters received by she com
mission every day.
The commission has promised 20 hear next
Wednesday representatives OF Boston inter
ests, who seek authority for railroads 20 MAKE
rates from the West TO that city, 10 meet those
made by roads whose termini are at New York.
No day has been assigned for hearing repre-
sentatlVes Of the California interests seeking
relief for franscontinental roads from the ope-
Iaiions OF the long and shorthaul clause, but
they are expected some day next week.